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LICENCE VS. LICENSE—SPELLING RULES
Marko Ticak
Updated on December 17, 2020Grammar
* License is both a noun and a verb in the United States.
* If you live in any other English-speaking country, you will spell it licence
when you use it as a noun and license when you use it as a verb.
There are plenty of things you can’t do without a license—drive a car, fly a
plane, be a doctor, or be a fisherman. And because licenses are so important,
you might as well learn how to spell them correctly.
Here’s a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? Grammarly can check your
spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. It even proofreads
your text, so your work is extra polished wherever you write.
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LICENSE AS A VERB: SPELLING AND EXAMPLES
Like many other words in the English language, license is spelled differently in
the United States and the rest of the English-speaking world. However, this is
not the case when license is used as a verb. The verb form is always spelled the
same—license—and it always has the same meaning—to issue a license, or to give
permission.
Here are a couple of examples of the word used in American online publications:
In the meantime, Atlanta, Georgia and the state of New York licensed him to
fight, so in 1970 he finished off two tune-up opponents to prepare for his
showdown with Frazier, who’d won the championship while Ali was sidelined.
The Daily Beast
Earlier this year at CES, we saw the first TVs from Sharp following the
announcement that Hisense had licensed the company’s brand name for TVs in the
U.S.
Digital Trends
And this is how they spell it in British online publications:
A kindergarten in a region often portrayed as Australia’s gun capital has
“licensed” children who want to play with toy firearms.
The Guardian
North Somerset Council, which is responsible for licensing the event, said the
Premises Licence was needed because there would be alcohol sales and regulated
entertainment at the event.
BBC
As you see, there’s no difference in meaning between the two.
LICENSE AS A NOUN: SPELLING AND EXAMPLES
But license can also be used as a noun, which is where the different spellings
come into play. In American English, the noun is spelled the same as the
verb—license. But in British English, the noun is spelled licence. All the
while, the meaning stays the same—permission, a permit, a document that states
you are qualified or allowed to do something.
Here’s how they use license in American English:
A Chicago-area woman says she wants to fight for her right to wear a pasta
strainer on her head in her driver’s license photo, claiming the item is an
expression of her religious beliefs.
Chicago Tribune
Sometimes, licenses are required because employers know the jobs will be at
sites across a region, and need employees to be able to get there reliably and
on time.
The Atlantic
And try to spot the difference in these examples of British English:
The financial services board revoked the licence for allegedly serious
transgressions.
SABC
Another 20 banks are in talks with the Bank of England about receiving a licence
to launch in Britain, as the wave of new competition in the industry shows no
signs of slowing down.
The Telegraph
And to illustrate how other English-speaking countries will spell it licence as
a noun, here are examples of the words used in Canadian, Australian, South
African, and New Zealand publications. (Notice how the last one shows the
differences in spelling from when the word is used as noun to a verb):
Canada’s telecommunications regulator wrapped up its hearings into CBC’s licence
renewal application Thursday, with senior executives responding to concerns
about issues ranging from accountability to paid online content.
CBC
Crown’s rival, Star Entertainment, has withdrawn its offer for the beleaguered
casino giant, concerned it may be stripped of its Melbourne licence.
The Australian
US rapper Rick Ross just revealed that despite having over 100 luxury cars, he
does not own a driver’s licence.
The South African
In a written response Auckland Council’s principal specialist alcohol licensing
manager, Rob Abbott, said council cannot “cancel alcohol licences” of stores
found to be exploiting workers, as such decisions are the responsibility of the
Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority.
NZ Herald
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